Device for handling burial vaults



Aprifl 1951' H. c. DREISCHERF 254K627 DEVICE FOR HANDLING BURIAL VAULTS Filed Aug. 31, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ear IINVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. C/DREISCHERF DEVICE FOR HANDLING BURIAL VAULTS Aprifl 3, 1951 Filed Aug. 31, 194:")

95 IYNVENTOR. j 100 511 227 jre wcfiezf interment.

la tentecl Apr. 3, 1951 i UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR HANDLING BURIAL VAULTS y Henry C; Dreischerf, Chicago, Ill. Application. August 31, 1945, Serial No. 613,743

.manipulating of heavy burial vaults, at cemeteries, from. the place of receipt to the place of The manipulations include raising such a vault, e. g., a concrete vault, which may weigh two tons or more, moving it safely to the place of interment within the cemetery, and finally depositing it at the place of interment.

Thefinal operation may require lowering of the vault into. the ground.

Such vaults are now raised with jacks and pulleys, are placed on rollers, and are then manuallyjrolled and pushed to the place of interfme'nt over planks successively placed on the ."gr'ound ahead of the rollers. j-raised from the rollers by means of jacks and pulleys and is deposited as required or is moved The vault is then onto planks of a special lowering device positioned alongside and over the grave pit. In the latter case, the vault is raised by the special device, the planks are removed, and the vault is eased-into the ground.

The procedure is clumsy,. undignified, wasteful of time and labor, and damaging to lawns and general landscaping.

, The invention overcomes these objections by the provision of a carriage comprising means forming an arch at either end thereof, angularly adjustable rear wheels secured to the legs of the; rear arch, angul'arly adjustable. front wheels secured to the legs. of the front arch, an adjustablehandle for pulling and/or steering the carriage, and mechanisms including a carrier member pivotally supported between the front and the'rear arches for controlling the lowering; and raising. of a vault to be handled. The carriage is wheeled over the vault and the vault is suspended therein by the operation of the-mecha- The vault is The angular adjustment of the wheels permits forward motion similar to the motion of ordinary vehicles, and also permits motion perpendicular to the forward movement. This feature may be required for manipulating the vault over cir'-, cuitous paths through the cemetery and for pcsitioning the vault properly over the grave pit at the place of interment.

The device may be made. for example, in acnism disposed between the arches.

cordance with the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 shows an. embodiment of the new device in schematic perspective representation;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic section through the adjustable mounting of one of the rear wheels of the device Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a hood for covering the raising and lowering mechanisms of the device;

Fig. 4 illustrates a tool for angularly adjusting the rear wheels of the device Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 represents a section through the adjustable mounting of one of the front wheels;

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the steering and adjustment of the front wheels of the device Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 shows the mounting of certain tie-rods.

Referring now to the drawings, the new device comprises an angular member forming an arch at the rear end, having the upright legs H and I2. Another arch is similarly formed at the front end of the device, having the angular uprights l3 and I4. It willfbe seen that the uprights are made alike, and are positioned backto-back. The angular member forming the rear arch comprises the flanges l5, l6 and the member farming the front arch comprises the flanges Each arch is provided centrally at the top thereof with a slot extending through the vertically upwardly projecting flange thereof. These slots are indicated in Fig. 1 by the numerals I9 and 20, respectively. They serve for the pivotal attachment of flanged stub shafts 2i and 22 projecting from the end plates 23 and 24 of a connecting plank-like carrier and supporting member 25. On the under side of this supporting member 25 are provided angular pieces 26 and 21 forming with the downwardly depending end plates 23 and 24 bearings for receiving the shafts of two pulley drums indicated by numerals 28 and 29. Firmly attached to each of these pulley drums is one end of a cable, the free end of which is provided with a suitable hook. Thus, the cable 38 is carried by the pulley drum 28 and the cable 3| is carried by the pulley drum 29. The inwardly projecting shafts of these pulley drums carry couplings for coupling engagement with intermediate shafts 32 'and 33, respectively. Shaft 32 projects inwardly into a brake structure 34, and shaft 33 projects inwardly into a motor and gear structure schematically indicated at 35. Both intermediate shafts 32 and 33 project inwardly from the brake and motor-gear structures, respectively, and unite in a coupling 33. The coupling between the shaft of pulley 23 and the intermediate shaft 32 is indicated by reference numeral 37, and the cou- '2 a pling between the shaft of pulley 29 and the intermediate shaft 33 is indicated by numeral 38.

The motor and gear arrangement 35 may include a small motor similar to starter motors in automobiles. The motor should be of the reversible type so as to provide driving power for the pulley" 28 and 29 in either direction of rotation. A suitable gear may be provided between the drive shaft of such motor and the intermediate shaft 33 driven thereby.

The brake arrangement schematically indicated at 3 may be a suitable drum brake of either the internal or the external type, and of any suitable approved and well known structure. its purpose is to apply brake power to the intermediate shaft 32 so as to control the lowering or lifting of the vault suspended on the hooks of the cables 36 and 3!.

A storage battery ii] is jprovided on the under sideof the supporting member 25 and is mounted by means of suitable brackets. It furnishes the current for the operation of the motor 3:") to rotate the intermediate shaft 33 and thereby the pulley drums 28 and 23.

Numeral ii indicates a hydraulic line for the operation of the brake 3 3, and numeral 32 indicates a suitable conduit carrying the electric conductors provided for the control of the motorgear arrangement 25. The hydraulic line 4! may be accommodated within the conduit 42.

It will be seen from the above description and from the drawing Fig. 1 that the entire operating mechanism so far described is pivotally suspended on top of the two arches comprising the legs iil2 and i3ii, respectively. The center of gravity, that is, the shaft axes of the pulleys 28 and 22?, is below the hinge or pivot points 2i and 22, as it should be for safe and proper operation. Angular displacement of the uprights of the arch, as the device rolls over uneven ground, will not affect the operating mechanism and pulleys, and

' will therefore not disturb the weight supported on the cables 39 and 3i, because such displacement will be taken up and compensated for by the pivotal suspension of the mechanism on the supporting arches. f

A cover such as shown in Fig. 3 is provided for the control mechanism suspended from the supporting and carrier member 25. The cover is made of suitable material, e. g., sheet metal, forming a shell 15 which fits over the end plates 23, 2f Legssuch as '58, ll, 78 hold'the cover removably in position on the supporting and carrier member Cut-outs ii -88 are providod for the cables 3E1 and 3!, respectively.

A suitable switch, indicated in Fig. 1 at 35, is provided for controlling the operation of the motor-gear arrangement 35. The brakecontrol includes a pivotallymounted handle 65 coacting with a suitable ratchet in the segment-shaped mounting il. Numeral indicates schematically the master cyiinder of the hydraulic control for the brake 3%. As noted before, the hydraulic line ii! is accommodated in the conduit :12 together with the circuit conductors leading from the switch to the storage battery 38 and to the motor-gear arrangement 35, respectively.

Each leg or upright l i-i2 of the rear supporting arch is provided with a wheel mounting and wheel adjusting means. The mounting and adjusting means for the upright ll may be described with reference to Fig. 2. It comprises a bottom plate 5E! firmly attached to the flanges 85 and it of the-uprighti I, for example, by welding. The plate is provided with a recess for accommodating a bearing 5 l. The wheel mounting comprises a cup-like member 52 having a flange 53 which is firmly attached to a plate 54, e. g., by welding. The plate 54 carries an ex tension 55 provided with a pair of holes 55 and 5'! (see also Fig. 1) and a plurality of holes, e. g., four holes 580., for receiving the pin 58 inserted through a hole in the flange 65. These holes 53h are angularly spaced apart in the plate 5 5 by Accordingly, when the pin 58 is inserted as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the mounting is locked with the wheel G l alongside and outside the upright i i, as shown in Fig. 1. A bolt 59 is firmly secured to the plate 54 and extends upwardly therefrom. On top of the plate 54 is disposed a cup-like member 60, the inside of which may be filled with grease, having a peripheral flange El and an inwardly extending flange 62 forming a recess for accommodating the bearing 63. The wheel axle carrying the wheel E l is shown at 65. Member 68 and flange 51 may be made of one piece.

The structure is assembled by placing the flange 6! of the cup-like member 6a on the plate 5d, with the bearing 63 in place, as shown, and the bolt 59 projecting upwardly therefrom for insertion through the plate 553 at the lower end of the upright I l. A suitable washer is placed on the bearing Si in plate 59. The assembly is secured by means of thenut 66 and cotter pin 6?. Locking means, e. g., a suitable pin, may be provided to prevent inadvertent angular displacement of the cup-like member 50 with respect to the plate 50.

It will be seen from the above description of the wheel attachment and wheel adjustment means that the wheel 65'. may be placed in two principal positions: (1) into the forward position, shown in the drawing Fig. 1, for travel in forward direction in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the device; and (2) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device. In the first case, the wheel may be positioned either outside the upright H, as shown in Fig. 1, or inside the upright; and in the latter case, the wheel may be positioned either in front or in back of the upright. The wheel "59 for the upright E2 of the rear arch is provided with mounting and adjusting means just as the wheel 64. The device is shown in Fig. 1 with the wheels in parallel with the longitudinal axis andoutside of the uprights II and i2.

Now, when it is desired to obtain an angular adjustment of the rear wheels for travel in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, all that is necessary is to take the tool shown in Fig. 4, comprising a handle H and prongs l2, I3, and to adjust each rear wheel as desired. This is done in case of wheel 64 by inserting the prongs l2'i3 of the tool into the holes 5E, 51 in the extension 55 of the plate 54, removing thelocking pin 53 and rotating the plate 54, and therewith the wheel 64, by 90, so that it is positioned for travel perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device. The wheel may be rotated for this purpose either in clockwise or in counter-clockwise direction, when looking perpendicularly downwardly upon the structure. A 90 rotation in either direction disposes a hole in the plate 54, such as thev hole 58a, in alignment with the locking holein the flange BI and after inserting the pin 58 into the aligned holes, the Wheel is locked in its alternate position either in front or in back of the upright, depending on the direction of rotation of the plate 54. The wheel 10 carried by the upright 12 may be adjusted similarly. It is thuspossible to dispose the wheels 64 and H3 'at'right angle to 5 the direction of forward travel either in front or in back of the uprights i i and i2.

The angular adjustment of the wheels for travel perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device is desired for sideways motion, for example, from a forward direction of travel along ar'ow of graves, sideways across graves, for the purpose of positioning the vault hanging on the hooks attached to cables 36 and 3! over a particular' grave pit.

The mounting and adjusting means for the front wheels 85 and 86 are alike and may be described with reference to Fig. 5 showing the mounting for wheel 85 at the bottom of upright I3. The mounting corresponds generally to that of the rear wheels, as previously described. It comprises a plated? attached to the flanges ii and [8 of the upright, e. g., by welding. The plate 8'? is provided wi h a recess for the bearing '88. Underneath the plate 8'3 i"- cup-like housing 89 having a peripheral flange so and aninwardly extending fiange or partition 9| forming a recess for the reception of a bearing 32. The latter is in journal engagement with the plate 93, and attached to this plate and downwardly depending therefrom is the housing 941. Numeral 95 indicates the shaft or axle for the Wheel 85. The structure is secured together by the bolt 96 which is fixedly attached to the plate 33 and extends upwardly through the plate 2* 81" carried by the upright it. Numeral 9? indicates a nut and 93 is a cotter pin. The various parts of the structure correspond to like parts in the mounting for the rear wheels described in connection with Fig. 2. 86 are therefore also adjustable at an angle to the forward direction of travel. This adjustment is, of course, required in the front wheels for the purpose of traveling around curves and the like.

Each of the axle housings of the front wheels, such as the housing t l of wheel 85, is provided with brackets sec for rotatably mounting the arms Iill, iii? of the handle as shown in Figs. 11 and 5. The arms NH and H12 are provided with a yoke Hi3 which is pivotally mounted thereon at 504, [85. The arms it! and H32 are crimped as shown in Fig. 1 so as to clear the wheel mountings when the handle is placed in normal position nestling in the uprights it and is of the front arch. This feature is desirable for storage of the device.

Tie rods H6 and i ii are provided for securing the uprights i !--i2 and 52-45, respectively. Each of the tie rods is inserted, at its end, into an opening such as shown in Fig. '7 at H2, and is secured by a nut such as thereto. Tightening of the nuts at opposite ends of each tie rod draws the corresponding uprights of the two arches together and secures their proper relative positions. Additional cross ties may be provided if desired or necessary.

The operation of the handle during normal forward travel of the device is sufficiently clear from the drawings and from the foregoing explanations. The device is simply pulled forward and curves are negotiated in usual manner, the front wheel mountings taking care of such angular displacement as may be required.

, If it is necessary to dispose the device for travel in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction, the rear wheels are angularly adjusted, as previously described, and the corresponding adjustment of the front wheels is obtained by .manipulating the handle in the direction of intended travel, e. g., 90 from the direction of for-- The front wheels 85 and ward travel. This case is illustrated in Fig. 6 which shows in full lines the position of the handle and the front wheels for forward travel, and in dot-dash lines the position of the parts for sideways travel. The figure also explains the reasons for hingedly mounting the yoke IE3 of the handle on the arms ill! and H02 thereof.

It will be observed that the operating mecha nism suspended between the arches is arranged in definite sections, each of which may be separately removed for repair or adjustment and then be put in place again. Thus, the brake structure 34 may be taken out by release of the couplings 31 and 36. Likewise, the motor-gear structure 35 may be taken out separately by release of the couplings 38 and 38. The pulley 28 is separatel supported in the depending bracket members 255 and 26, and the pulley 29 is similarly separately supported in the depending bracket members 2 and 24. p t

The device is also equipped with a coupling I2?" which is attached to the main drive shaft an projects from the device through the end mem ber 24. This coupling is provided for permitti'o manual raising and lowering operation by me? of a suitable crank.

Detents coacting with suitable ratchets may lzeused in place of the brake arrangement 34 or addition thereto. One pair of detents is in such a case preferably attached to the bracket member 2% and a corresponding pair of detents is attached to the bracket member 2'? for coacwith associated ratchets on the shafts of the ulleys 23 and 2t, respectively. Each of the pull=ys is then separately safeguarded in either lirection of rotation. The detents may be operated manually or by means of a suitable lever rrangement, one for operating the detents for ley 28 and one for operating the detents of pulley 25:5.

The wheels may be provided with suitable individual brakes, if desired. Operating means for such brakes may be provided wherever desired. Such operating means may correspond to commonly known practice.

The use and operation of the device will be clear from the foregoing description, but may be briefly summarized below.

The device may be put in storage with the arms 53%, iii-2 and yoke i-I ii of the handle in upright positon neatly nestled in the arch comprising the angular uprights iii-Hi. A suitable latch may be provided for keeping the handle in storedaway position.

The entire machine is. easily taken apart, requiring nothing more than uncoupling the conductors in conduit #32, also the hydraulic line ii, from the connection with the switch 45 and with the brake control i64l-l8, respectively, whereupon the mounting or carrier member 25 with the entire o erating mechanism can be lifted from pivotal engagement with the slots ES --29 of the supporting arches. The tie rods 5 iti l i may be removed and the uprights with their wheels may then be stored away. These considerations will mainly concern manufacture, shipping storage of the device. Assembly of the device is similarly facilitated, as it requires merely hooking into position the operating mechanism by means of the stub shafts 25- -22 and attachment of the tie rods HEB-4 i i. The device is ready for use upon connecting the various conductors and conduits to the motor and the brake. Suitable plug and socket joints may be provided. The servicing of the wheel mounting and adjusting means is likewise simple. Access may be had to the bearings by releasing in each case a single nut. A protective device, e. g., a radially split cupped washer may be provided on top of each wheel mounting to prevent ingress of dirt into the bearings.

In operation the device is rolled from its place f storage by means of the handle placed in the position shown in Fig. 1 and is rolled over the vault that is'to be handled. The approach may be in forward direction with the arches straddling the vault. The handle is similarly arched to permit such operation. The tie rods H8 and iii are disposed a sunicient distance from the ground to permit placing the device over the vault by approach from the side. The switch 45 is then actuated to operate the reversible motor 35 to lower the cables 33 and 32. Alternatively, a suitable crank is used, inserted into the coupling H 3 and the lowering is done manually. In the event that detents, as previously described, are provided, the proper detents for the lowering operation have to be put into operative engagement with their associated ratchets. The hooks carried by the cables 3il3i are then inserted into lifting eyelets provided on the vault or are hooked into cables attached to the vault, the latter operation being necessary in case of vaults which are not provided with lifting eyelets. The pulleys provided with the cables 333i are then operated in reverse direction either by actuating the switch 45 in the proper direction of operation of the motor-gear 35, or by manual operation by means of the crank attached to the coupling E25. The brake lever 45 is operated during the raising of the vault to prevent any undesired slipping. Prior to raising the vault attached to the hooks on the cables 3il3l it will be necessary to put the detents, if such are used, in proper operating position with respect to their ratchets. The vault is then lifted from the ground and the device is ready for transporting it to the place of interment. The vault is maintained in suspended position within the device either by the brake, with the brake lever lock-ed in operated position, or by the detents, if such are used, or by both;

If it should be necessary at any place on the way to the place of interment, or at the place of interment, to change the angular position of the wheels perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device, which may be desirable, e. g., for positioning the vault over a certain grave pit, this is easily accomplished by use of the tool shown in Fig. 4 in a manner previously described with respect to the rear wheels. No special angular adjustment is required for the front wheels. The yoke of the handle is simply manipulated in the desired lateral direction, thus turning the front wheels either into the dot-dash position at 90 to the direction of forward travel, as shown in Fig. 6, with the wheel 83 in back of the upright Hi and the wheel 35 in front of the upright [3, or manipulating the handle laterally the alternate position so as to dispose the wheel 85 in front of the upright l4 and the wheel 35 in back. of th upright it, whichever may be more convenient. The entire device may then be rolled sideways so as to dispose the vault over the desired spot for interment. The vault can be lowered either automatically by operating the switch :35 and coincident therewith the brake lever 45, or manually by a crank inserted into the coupling 52$. Again, as in the previous case, the detents for the pulleys 28-2 9,

if such detents are provided, may be put into proper engagement with their corresponding ratchets. The vault may thus be lowered without any trouble, the lowering being controlled by operating the brake lever 56, or by the detents, or by both.

The front wheels may be made angularly adjustable just like the rear wheels; that is to say, four holes may be provided in the plate 93, Fig. 5, angularly spaced apart by 90, for alignment with a hole in the flange 99. A locking pin such as pin 58, Figs. 1 and 2, may be inserted through the hole in the flange 90 for locking the plate 93 and therewith the corresponding front wheel in any one of the four angular positions. The adjustment for sideways motion is made with the tool shown in Fig. 4, as previously described. After adjusting all the wheels, and after disconnecting the handle, the carriage is moved sideways into the desired position.

t will be seen from the foregoing that the new device fully overcomes the detriments and handicaps of the previous mode of handling burial vaults. The procedure is simple and requires very little effort. Use of the device reduces the time and labor to a minimum, prevents damage to lawns and landscaping, and lends the dignity to the procedure which befits operations at a cemetery.

The plank-like supporting and carrie member 25 may be suitably reinforced to provide the sturdiness required for handling the loads which it has to support. The two pulleys 2829 are, as shown, positioned adjacent to and substantially in line with the corresponding upright arches so that the weight of the vault is mainly carried by these arches. If desired, the structure may be modified so that the load is supported entirely by the arches. This may be done by providing a sturdy rod or shaft-like member and pivotally mounting such member near its opposite ends in the slots on top of the upright arches in a similar manner as the carrier 25 is pivotally mounted on these arches, as shown in Fig. 1, and providing at each end of this pivotally mounted member a pair of downwardly projecting hangerlike brackets for journalling the two pulley drums 2829, respectively, with each pulley drum positioned so that the vertical center line of the corresponding arch intersects the drum about midway. A carrier member similar to the one shown in Fig. l at 25 is also provided in this case for carrying the motor, the brake, the battery and auxiliary parts. This carrier member may be supported by suitable hanger-like brackets connected with the pivotally mounted rod and depending therefrom. The drum shafts may be interconnected with the intermediate shaft substantially as described in connection with the embodiment Fig. 1. The load stresses are, in such a structure, directly transferred to the supporting arches.

While it appears clear from the drawings, it may nevertheless be emphasized that the described arrangement permits wheeling of the carriage device over a vault either by backing up, or by wheeling in forward direction, or by approach from either side of the vault. The wheels may be adjusted for sideways motion either in front or in back of the associated uprights of the arches, by providing adjustments for all wheels such as shown in connection with the rear wheels of the structure and as described in connection with the front wheels. The device is thus, within certain limits, adjustable as to the length of its wheel base, therefore .adjustable as to the width of the space available for sideways motion.

The-same holds generally true even when using adjustment possibilities are somewhat limited longitudinally of the device. Just which adjustment is to be used in any given case will be determined by local requirements.

The angular adjustment of the wheel mountings provides for positioning the wheels for forward travel alongside their associated uprights outside as well as inside thereof, and therefore furnishes the possibility of adjusting the spur or track width of the wheels in accordance with travel required on pathways or lanes of different width.

Caster type wheel mountings may be used if desired.

It will be seenfrom the foregoing description that changes and modifications may be made withinthe. scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carriage for handling burial vaults comprising a generally horizontally disposed carrier member, an arched supporting member disposed at either end of said carrier member, a recess formed in each arched support substantially at the apex thereof for pivotally removably mounting therein the ends of said carrier member, a plurality of bracketlilre members carried by said carrier member and downwardly depending therefrom at longitudinally spaced intervals thereof, operating means carried by said bracketlike extensions, and means for actuating said operating means to manipulate a burial vault with respect to the ground.

2. The structure and combination defined in claim 1, wherein said operating means comprises a plurality of axially aligned separate shaft sections jcurnalled in said bracketlike extensions, said sections including a pair of intermediate sections and a pair of end sections, a pulley drum operated by each end section, each pulley drum having a cable attached thereto for manipulating said burial vault, a power drive for one of said intermediate sections, brake means for the other intermediate section, and means for coupling said shaft sections.

3. A carriage for handling burial vaults comprising a generally horizontally disposed carrier member, a plurality of bracketlilre extensions carried by said carrier member and downwardly depending therefrom at longitudinally spaced intervals thereof, an arched supporting member disposed at either end of said carrier member, means for pivotally removably mounting each end of said carrier member on its associated arched supporting member substantially at the apex thereof, operating means supported by said hracl ike extensions, said operating means comprising a rotatable shaft journalied in said extensions, said shaft being disposed below and extending in parallel with said carrier member, a pair of pulley drums on said shaft, one at either end thereof, each pulley drum having a cable attached thereto for manipulating said burial vault, and drive means for rotating said shaft to operate said pulley drums, said drive means comprising a power drive, said shaft projecting beyond the carrier member at one end thereof for engagement with a suitable l crank adapted to rotate said shaft manually instead of by said power drive.

l. A carriage for handling burial vaults comprising a generally horizontally disposed carrier member, a plurality of braclretlike extensions carried by said carrier member and downwardly depending therefrom at longitudinally spaced intervals thereof, an arched supporting member disposed at either end of said carrier member, means for pivotally removably mounting each end of said carrier member on its associated arched supporting member substantially at the apex thereof, operating means supported by said bracketlike extensions, said operating means comprising a plurality of longitudinally axially aligned shaft sections journalled in said extensions, coupling means disposed between adjacent shaft sections, a, pulley drum associated with each terminal shaft section, a power drive and brake means, respectively, associated with intermediate shaft sections, said power drive and said brake means being separately mounted on said carrier member.

5. A carriage for handling burial vaults com prising a generally horizontally disposed carrier member, an inverted generally U-shaped member forming an arched supporting member disposed at either end of said carrier member, means for pivotally removably mounting each end of said carrier member on its associated arched supporting member substantially at the apex thereof, operating means carried by said carrier member and downwardly depending therefrom, a wheel secured to the free end of each of the legs of said arched supporting member and being angularly adjustable with respect thereto, a handle associated with the pair of wheels secured to the legs of one of said arched supporting members, said handle comprising a pair of pivotally mounted arms, a yoke pivotally connected with such arms, and means for actuating said operating means to manipulate a burial vault with respect to the ground.

6. A carriage for handling burial vaults comprising an arched support in the rear and an identical arched support in front, each arched support being generally in the shape of an inverted U forming two legs, a wheel pivotally secured to the free end of each leg, means for angularly individually adjusting the wheels on the legs of the arched rear support for forward travel or for travel at an angle thereto, and a device for effecting common angular adjustment of the wheels on the legs of the arched front support, said device comprising an arm pivotally secured in engagement with the pivotal mounting of each front wheel, and a member forming a yoke pivotally connected with the free ends of said arms.

7. A carriage for handling loads such as burial vaults comprising a front support having two legs each carrying a pivotally mounted wheel and a rear support having two legs each carrying a pivotally mounted wheel, means for handling the load extending between said front and said rear supports, means for individually angularly adjusting the rear wheels for forward travel or for travel at an angle thereto, and a device for effecting common angular adjustment of the front wheels, said device comprising an arm pivotally secured in engagement with the mounting of each front wheel, and a yolge memher pivotaily connected with the free ends of said arms. T

8. A knockdown carriage for handling'a heavy load such as a burial vault comprising means forming an arched front and an arched rear support, respectively, each support having two generally vertically disposed legs each carrying an angularly adjustable wheel at the free end thereof, means forming an elongated carrier for supporting said load, a journal member disposed at each end of said carrier for removable pivotal journal engagement with associated journal means carried by said front and rear supports, respectively, substantially at the apex thereof, for pivotally suspending said carrier on said supports to form a removable connecting structure therebetween which depends therefrom, a handle associated with the wheels carried by the legs of said front support, said handle comprising two arms, one pivotally connected with each wheel, and an arched yoke pivotally connected with said arms, the shape of said handle formed by said arms and said yoke conforming substantially to the shape of said arched front support.

HENRY C. DREISCHERF.

12 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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